The BBC said authorities in Sudan briefly arrested three of its journalists in the capital Monday as thousands of Sudanese were in the streets across the country in the latest anti-coup protests in the African nation.
The news outlet said in a report the journalists working with its Arabic service were taken to an unknown location in Khartoum. The BBC said authorities released the three journalists late Monday.
There was no immediate comment from authorities.
Thousands of Sudanese marched in the streets of Khartoum and its twin city Omdurman, according to the pro-democracy movement.
Security forces fired live ammunition, rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the protesters, especially around the presidential palace in Khartoum, activist Nazim Sirag said.
Social media swarmed with images showing tear gas clouding rallies in Khartoum and protesters hurling stones and throwing back empty gas canisters at security forces.
Sirag said about 200 protests were injured, including at least 12 across the capital who sustained gunshot wounds. There were no deaths reported.
Protests also took place elsewhere in the country, including the eastern city of Port Sudan.
Monday’s demonstration was the latest in a series of relentless protests since the military on October 25 ousted the civilian-led government of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who was reinstated a month later under heavy international pressure.
The turmoil in the country worsened after he stepped down on January 2 when his efforts to reach a compromise between the military the pro-democracy movement failed.
The coup has upended Sudan’s transition to democratic rule after three decades of repression and international isolation under autocratic President Omar al-Bashir.
The African nation has been on a fragile path to democracy since a popular uprising forced the military to remove al-Bashir and his Islamist government in April 2019
Source: Voice of America